Weekly Windows Mobile Roundup on August 30th 2008
Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 Delayed Till 2009?
Earlier this week, we had mentioned that Vodafone would be the very first carrier in the world to carry SE’s first Windows Mobile device. The release was slated for October but new reports are now coming up that a delay would push that date further back to December 2008 or January 2009.
Not funny Sony Ericsson! Apparently the delay is caused by SE not being able to make Windows Mobile 6.1 work cleanly and the way it wants to. Not surprising considering that SE has no prior experience in making Windows Mobile phone.
What’s funny was that WMExperts found that the device handled pretty well in their hands-on review back in April so they’re curious as to why SE would be using that as an excuse reason. Well looks like the Touch Pro by HTC will be getting a lot more alone time now than initially thought.
Palm Treo Pro Getting Some Pretty Good Reviews
Fancy the latest offering from Palm? You’ll want to read some reviews before you spend good money. Not that these reviews from Gizmodo, Mobile Devices Today, The Mobile Gadgeteer and CrunchGear would change your mind especially since they give it the thumbs up:
The feature that deserves the most mention is the redesign—because it’s beautiful.
Palm’s out of box experience is a leap forward and dare I say, on par with that of Apple’s (no surprise since Apple hardware alum Jon Rubinstein is now at Palm).
I was a bit surprised to see this device, rather than a GSM version of the Palm Treo 800w, but I do like the thinness of the device. I wish the more standard Treo keyboard was used though since I tend to like it better than the Centro-like keyboard
I’m still not in love with the Centro and the 800w was ho-hum but the peppy processor and attractive styling of the Pro made me rethink my misdirected anger
This device is getting some pretty good reviews and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Sure there are doubts about who made the device but does it really matter if the end-product is a great one? (via jkOnTheRun)
Want DataViz Documents To Go For Windows Mobile Professional?
Well now you can. They’ve just released version 3.0 of the Premium Edition which is for the Windows Mobile Professional platform. It’s a great application as mobile road warriors will have you believe (I have not tried it out but with feedback like that, I sure am tempted).
So feel free to download a 30 day trial and see for yourself just how great this application is. A license will set you back $29.95 but considering what a powerful suite this brings to your Windows Mobile, it might just be well worth the investment. For users of multi-platform devices, you can also get a version for the BlackBerry (just released), Palm OS, Symbian UIQ as well as Windows Mobile Standard (on top of Professional as well).
Photoshop.com Mobile Data Coming To A Windows Mobile Device Near You
Come September, you will now be able to edit your photos in the cloud, right from your Windows Mobile device, thanks to Adobe. You’ll need to sign up for a free Photoshop.com account first but once you do and this service rolls out, you’ll be able to upload, store, access and share up to 5GB of photos. Need more space? $49.99 moves you to the Plus account that includes a 20GB storage space.
There’s one catch though: the initial beta launch for Windows Mobile will be device specific which include the Motorola Q9m and Q9h; Samsung Blackjack I and II, and Palm’s Treo 750 and 700w/wx. It will cover more models in the future so don’t despair. Check out the Photoshop.com Mobile beta here.
BlueAnt Releases The V1 Bluetooth Headset
If you thought that Bluetooth headsets were complicated and have been putting off purchasing one, BlueAnt has something that might just make you spend your dollars.
The new BlueAnt V1 looks really similar to the BlueAnt Z9i but packs a new technology called BlueGenie. So what exactly is this new technology? According to BlueAnt:
Using the BlueGenie Voice Interface from Sensory, Inc., the BlueAnt V1 allows users to easily control their headset with voice commands rather than pressing multiple buttons or even looking at the phone. Unlike other headsets that only support voice dial capabilities through the mobile phone’s voice features, the V1’s voice control is embedded in the headset itself. Beyond voice dial capabilities, the V1 enables the user to control all headset features such as pairing, volume and connection status using only their voice. The V1 supports such commands as ‘Pair Me,’, ‘Redial,’ ‘Call Back,’ ‘Answer/Ignore Call,’ and ‘Call GOOG-411.’ Users can even ask the V1, “What can I say?” and the headset will verbally list all features available on the device. And say ‘Teach Me’ and the device will talk users through its functions.
Really awesome stuff you got there BlueAnt. What’s even better is that BlueGenie does not depend on the phone model you have. Which means you could turn that cheap Bluetooth-enabled phone in your drawer now into a voice command tool. The price? $129.99. Tempted yet?
Take The No Reboot Challenge
Remember how Mike from MobileJaw was discussing about how stable the Windows Mobile platform actually is? Well, he’s taken it a step further and is now taking the No Reboot challenge. It’s really simple as Mike points out:
To get the ball started on the right foot, I’m going to hard reset my device so I can be sure that there’s nothing weird hanging around in there. I’m doing this on a Samsung BlackJack II with a near final build of Windows Mobile 6.1. From what I’ve been told, this is what will be shipped on upcoming BlackJack II’s from AT&T. If you’re following along and taking the challenge with me, it doesn’t really matter what version of Windows Mobile you have on your device. I just ask that it’s the production ROM and not something that’s been cooked up and downloaded from the internet. The changes added into those illegal ROMs could easily be a source of instability.
After hard resetting the device, I need to ActiveSync it with my laptop to get all my Contacts, calendar, etc.. synced to it. Also, there are a couple applications that I can’t do without. So I’ve installed the following: Ilium’s eWallet, Sling Media’s SlingPlayer Mobile, Modaco’s Smartphone GPS Utility, and Microsoft’s Live Search. I use these applications on an almost daily basis and can’t imagine being without those. I also need to add my the data settings for my network so I can actually use data on the device. The last thing to do is configure email on the device. I’ve added 2 email accounts and both are set to pull email from the last 3 days and will do that every 60 minutes.
Think he will last or will the Windows Mobile platform get the better of him? Feel free to join him and see how the platform holds up for you. Also, be sure to check this page as he updates you of his challenge.
Clinton Takes A Look At The MWq Zinc II
He sure is a lucky guy. He just got the MWg Zinc II which is currently not officially carried by any carriers on this side of the pond (though you could get a package via Expansys + AT&T) and has reviewed it on his website, ClintonFitch dot Com. So what did he think of the device? Without spoiling too much, here’s what he had to say:
Overall there are a lot of things to like about the MWg Zinc II. It is a elegant looking device with smooth lines and all glass front. It has a bit of weight to it which makes it feel comfortable in your hands. The keyboard mechanism is smooth and feels sturdy. The display is bright and the overall responsiveness of the device is great. MWg has done a good job of updating the ROM on the device and will continually be updating it throughout the life of the device.
Some pretty big words there and the review is filled with screen shots and photos to supplement that judgement. You’ll definitely want to check it out.
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